Supporters ‘Stand With Sam’ to block Westboro Baptist Church protest of former Tiger

ST. LOUIS — The controversial Westboro Baptist Church used Saturday’s Missouri basketball game against Tennessee in Columbia as an opportunity to show its disapproval of Michael Sam.

But the handful of protesters who gathered in Columbia to picket and denounce Sam — the former Mizzou defensive end and future NFL player who announced last Sunday that he is gay — were met with some resistance.

Sam’s supporters countered with Stand With Sam, with hundreds if not thousands lining up in support of him to form a human wall along South Providence Road.